Château Peby Faugères 2017

Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, the 2017 Peby Faugeres leaps from the glass with vibrant scents of kirsch, Black Forest cake, blueberry preserves and red roses plus nuances of charcuterie and Ceylon tea. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is chock-full of crunchy black and blue fruit flavors, framed by plush tannins and oodles of freshness, finishing long and perfumed. Not the usual, hedonic Peby Faugeres—I do love this more elegant, refreshing style! It is composed of 100% Merlot and was aged for 18 months in French oak barrels, 65% new. 10,000 bottles were made, representing 70% grand vin. Best of all, the alcohol rocks up at 14.5%—over that pesky 14% USA trade tariff threshold!

Polished in feel, with a core of raspberry, blackberry and plum compote flavors that feel seamless as this moves along, carried by an embedded graphite note and flecked with anise and black tea details on the finish. Best from 2021 through 2032. 875 cases made.

Always a showcase for the Silvio Denz style, and absolutely staying true to its signature. This is extremely ripe – to the point of showing fig and prune flavours, not easy in 2017. It's intense and further finessed with oak. Harvested 25 September to 2 October.

The polish and finesse to this wine is very impressive with medium to full body and ultra-fine tannins that caress every inch of your palate. Strong, ripe dark-berry flavors and a powerful build to the finish. Reserved and finely tannined, the wine goes on and on. Shows reserve and poise. Racy. Drink after 2022.

Tasted blind. Deep ruby colour. Blood orange, vanilla and graphite on the nose. Bright, high acid, flirting with tart fruit. Awkward, hard tannins set against a floral, Parma violet sweetness. Powdery and lithe on the finish. (TP)

The 2017 Péby Faugères is pure Merlot matured in 65% new oak. This has a very well-defined bouquet that is vastly improved from its showing from barrel. I find this surprising considering it is usually more decadent than Faugères. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins, a fine thread of acidity, quite elegant in style with a subtle cedar note on the finish. Very fine.

Darkness becomes this inky creation not only in color but also in the black cherry, smoke, espresso, wet earth and dark chocolate essences, which define its charisma. The wine is fat, fertile, swanky and sweet. Powerful, long and intense, pure and precocious, simply stated, this rocks! The wine was produced using 100% old vine Merlot.

Dark ruby, with purple reflections, and a discreet bright rim. Aromas of ripe plum, blackberry confit, black forest berry, and a pleasant fine oak savouriness. Lively on the palate, freshly structured, red cherry, fine tannins, a mineral-salty finish, and a lemony touch on the aftertaste, and it will soon be gluggable.

The 2017 Château Péby Faugères continues to show consistently, with a medium- to full-bodied, ripe, textured, beautifully balanced style as well as terrific complexity in its sweet red and black fruits, truffle, smoked herbs, and flowery, incense-like aromas and flavors. It has plenty of tannins but is upfront, expressive, and clearly in its early prime drinking window.

Deep ruby with purple highlights. The intense fruit grips you every time: Alpine blueberries, morello cherries, and a hint of cinnamon. On the second nose, plum butter and elderberry. On the palate, powerful with a creamy texture and a tightly knit tannic frame; everything is in its right place, paired with perfectly supportive freshness that lends the wine incredible finesse. Complex, long finish with black olives and sloe juice.

Kunz barrel sample 18: (100% Merlot, 22 hl/ha, production 12,000 bottles, 65% new barriques) Powerful, velvety, finely opulent, fruity, sweet bouquet: strawberries, damson plums, tobacco, cedar, dark chocolate, a touch of mocha yogurt. Densely woven, multi-layered, aromatic, silky palate with creamy fruit, plenty of fine tannin, concentrated structure, varied sweet aromatics, very long, aromatic, dense finish. Gabriel 2018: Barrel sample. Very dark ruby. Lots of primary fruit notes: elderberry, cassis and red cherries. It feels fresh and precise. On the palate juicy, fairly long, with well-supporting, beautifully integrated acidity. A Péby documenting a certain vintage superiority. This is exactly the hallmark of reliable domaines: delivering a remarkable performance even in such years. It will likely end up between 17/20 and 18/20. (18/20). 20: Production: 9,048 bottles. Dark ruby with a lightening rim. The nose opens with a basket of currants and raspberries, mixed with a floral shimmer and delicate traces of vanillin. Fine palate with almost silky tannins, fruit-driven finish. A dancing delicacy that already gives a lot of pleasure. Ready now! (18/20).

Ultra chocolaty, this wine lacks freshness.

Ample, juicy, sappy wine, with fine linearity, taut, elegant tannins, and a long, sapid finish.

An intense bouquet where candied notes, barrel ageing and spices are in harmony. Fruity, suave character on the palate. The wine has fine-grained tannins that bring breadth and good aromatic intensity through to the finish. A wine that combines charm and density.

Dark, intense, and beautiful color. Moderately aromatic nose with ripe fruit. A caressing attack on the palate, suave through the mid-palate and creamy in texture. The wine stretches out on the finish, with no hard edges, no acidic bite, and a very pleasant, long length.